Strava Shows Off Smarter Cycling Cities at SXSW

SAN FRANCISCO (March 9, 2016) —Strava, the social network for athletes, will lead a discussion on the future of commuting at aSXSW Interactive event on Saturday, March 12 at 5 p.m. at the Austin Convention Center. Featuring Strava co-founder and chief technical officer Mark Shaw, Rapha ambassador and SXSW head of publicity Kelly Krause, journalist and Strava cycling brand manager Andrew Vontz, and Red Bull athlete and People for Bikes ambassador Tim Johnson, the panel will discuss the power of crowd-sourced bike commuting data.

“Many of the same athletes who use Strava as a social network and training tool also commute to work by bike or foot,” says Mark Shaw, Strava CTO. “With a service called Strava Metro, we anonymize, aggregate and package that data for urban planners. This helps to optimize decisions about infrastructure like green lanes, crosswalks and separated bikeways. Planners can then measure the actual impact these changes have, too, in a way that’s never been possible before.”

During the past decade, bike share programs have proliferated and bike commuting has increased by 60 percent in the U.S. alone. Despite the fact that riding in many urban environments can be intimidating, global cities have witnessed unprecedented growth in cycling. While billions of dollars have been spent on the science of optimizing automobile traffic, measuring how bicyclists move around a city has been largely ignored. Strava Metro gives cities the ability to use crowd-sourced data to make a positive difference for cyclists and commuters. 

Cities often use antiquated methods like counting with clickers. This leads to bike infrastructure based on haphazard guesswork. Strava changes the paradigm with its Metro approach.

For more information on the panel, visit:http://schedule.sxsw.com/2016/events/event_PP55741. Join the conversation with the hashtags #sxsw and #databike, and follow@strava.

To learn how Strava aims to create a better, safer environment for cyclists and runners by using innovative technology in cities around the world with a service called Strava Metro, visit:http://metro.strava.com/.

To join Strava and start uploading commutes now, visitwww.strava.com.

About Strava

Strava unlocks potential through the power and purpose of sport. Designed by athletes, for athletes, Strava’s mobile apps and website connect millions of runners and cyclists every day. www.strava.com

About Strava Metro

Strava Metro produces state-of-the-art spatial data products and services to make cycling, running and walking in cities better. Using Strava Metro, departments of transportation and city planners, as well as advocacy groups and corporations, can make informed and effective decisions when planning, maintaining, and upgrading cycling and pedestrian corridors. www.metro.strava.com